CLEARMASTERS
Septic tanks and cesspits
We empty septic tanks and cesspits for homes, farms and estates around Godalming, matching the tanker to your lane. While we’re there we check the tank and the outlet and tell you if anything needs attention.
Learn moreGodalming is an old market town on the River Wey, surrounded by wooded hills and some of the most attractive villages in Surrey. The town and Farncombe are on mains drainage, but a large number of homes in the villages, from Hambledon, Hascombe and Chiddingfold to Witley, Thursley and Dunsfold, have septic tanks, cesspits and treatment plants.
Most of the area sits on the greensand, sandy ground that usually drains well, with heavier Weald clay creeping in to the south around Chiddingfold and Dunsfold. Many properties are old cottages and farmhouses with systems that have been added to over the years, and the lanes to reach them are often narrow and steep.
Our crews are in the Godalming area most days and we answer the phone 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
Our Godalming drainage and waste services
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Septic Tank & Cesspit Emptying
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Treatment Plant Servicing
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Septic Tank Surveys
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Treatment Plant & Pump Repairs
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Treatment Plant Installations
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Blocked Drains & CCTV Surveys
Learn moreGodalming &
Surrey Hills
Surrey Hills
Cottages, farms
& estates
& estates
Plant servicing
& repairs
& repairs
Waste transfer
notes
notes
24/7
call-outs
call-outs
What we do for Godalming customers
Treatment plant servicing
A treatment plant needs a yearly service to keep treating water properly. Our engineers clean and check it, test the blower and pumps, carry the most common parts and leave a written report.
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Surveys for buyers and upgrades
Buying an old cottage with its own drainage? A septic tank survey tells you what you’re taking on, where it discharges and whether it meets the General Binding Rules.
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Repairs and upgrades
If a plant has failed or an old tank no longer meets the rules, we can repair it or install a new treatment plant or drainage field.
Learn moreLocal knowledge
Drainage around Godalming: what to know
Greensand hills, Weald clay and old cottages.
Greensand
Most of the area is on sandy greensand that drains well, which suits soakaways and drainage fields.
Clay to the south
Around Chiddingfold and Dunsfold, heavier Weald clay drains slowly and fields can struggle in winter.
Old systems
Many cottages have systems that have been extended over the years. A survey shows what you really have.
Local to you
Areas we cover in and around Godalming
We cover Godalming and the villages of the Surrey Hills around it.
Godalming · town and nearby
- Godalming
- Farncombe
- Busbridge
- Milford
- Catteshall
- Binscombe
Surrounding villages · where private drainage is common
- Hambledon
- Hascombe
- Witley
- Wormley
- Chiddingfold
- Thursley
- Elstead
- Shackleford
- Compton
- Bramley
- Dunsfold
- Brook
Not sure if we cover you?
If you’re in or around Godalming, we cover you. Call with your postcode and we’ll confirm.
Why Godalming customers use us
Careful work on village systems
Whether it’s a cesspit at a farmhouse near Dunsfold or a treatment plant in Hambledon, here’s what you get.
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34 years in drainage
We’ve been emptying tanks and servicing systems since long before most of the kit on the market existed.
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Trained engineers
Our engineers and most of our tanker drivers hold current confined space entry certificates, and the engineers carry the most common parts.
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The right kit for the job
Tankers from 2,000 to 4,000 gallons, jet/vac combination units, CCTV survey kit and confined space teams for pump station wet wells.
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Paperwork done properly
A waste transfer note with every collection, and a written report after surveys and services.
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We remember so you don’t have to
Regular customers get a reminder when their next empty or service is due.
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Day and night, all year
Emergency call-outs 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, with a real person answering the phone.
What our customers say
9.84/10
Checkatrade
From 134 reviews · Read them
4.9/5
From 63 reviews · Read them
Scores as of September 2026
★★★★★Friendly efficient service at a reasonable cost. Arrived on time and operatives were helpful and polite.
Checkatrade review Checkatrade · GU5
★★★★★Arrived within 48 hours of booking, did the job, polite guys what more could you want!!!
★★★★★Prompt, quick, friendly service, Highly recommended.
How it works
What happens when you book
Simple and the same every time.
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Step 1
Tell us what you’ve got
Call us or book online and tell us what system you have and when it was last emptied or serviced, if you know.
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Step 2
We come out and do the job
We book a date that suits you and send the right tanker or engineer. It helps if:
- you warn us about steep, narrow or single-track lanes
- tank lids and plant covers are uncovered and not hidden under planting
- gates are open or you tell us the code, and dogs or livestock are kept away
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Step 3
Paperwork and the next visit
You get a waste transfer note for anything we take away, and a written report after a survey or service. If it’s a regular job, we’ll remind you when the next one is due.
Free, no-obligation quote
Get a quote for your Godalming property
Tell us what you need and we’ll come back with a price. If something’s overflowing, call us now.
- Free quotes for emptying, servicing and surveys
- Septic tanks, cesspits and treatment plants
- Help with General Binding Rules upgrades
Urgent?
03333 233566
Questions answered
Godalming septic tank FAQs
What people in and around Godalming ask us most.
I’m buying a cottage with a septic tank. What should I check?
Find out what type of system it is, where it discharges, when it was last emptied and whether there are service records. A septic tank survey before you exchange answers all of that.
Does greensand mean my soakaway will always work?
It usually helps, as sandy soil drains well. But a soakaway still fails if solids reach it, so regular emptying is important.
Do you service treatment plants in Chiddingfold and Witley?
Yes. We service and repair treatment plants throughout the villages around Godalming.
Does my septic tank need upgrading?
If it discharges directly to a ditch or stream, yes, under the General Binding Rules. Read the rules on GOV.UK.
Can your tankers get down narrow lanes?
Usually. We have tankers in different sizes and carry long hoses. Tell us about access when you book.
Can you help in an emergency?
Yes. Our crews are in the area most days and we answer the phone 24 hours a day. Call 03333 233566.
Got a different question? Call 03333 233566 or send us a message.
Fully accredited & compliant
We're independently vetted and certified so you can trust who you're letting onto your site.
SafeContractor
Health & safety pre-qualification accreditation, verifying our processes meet recognised safety standards.
RISQS
Railway Industry Supplier Qualification Scheme — approved to work safely within the rail industry supply chain.
Achilles UVDB
Utilities Vetting Database membership, confirming we meet the utilities sector's supply chain standards.
Trading Standards Approved
Vetted and approved under the local authority's trusted trader scheme for honesty and fair dealing.
NADC Member
Members of the National Association of Drainage Contractors, the UK trade body for the drainage industry.
Registered Waste Carrier
Registered with the Environment Agency, so your waste is handled and disposed of fully within the law.